The city council in Malta recently approved a plan to spotlight "Hometown Heroes" on the street lights in town.

Melissa Sandvick is the Gold Star mother of Lance Corporal Jeremy Sandvick Monroe. Jeremy was killed in Iraq when he was only 20 years old back on October 8th, 2006.

Last week, Melissa called in to our statewide radio talk show, Montana Talks, and let our listeners know that the first five "Hometown Heroes" banners were set to be installed in Malta at the Veterans Memorial Park. One of those banners remembers her son.

Melissa Sandvick: It's gonna be a great honor to finally get these put up. It was a couple of months ago that Delsi Whitmer brought this to people's attention, and as far as we know there were 70 spots open. She has 40 filled.

Jeremy is a 2004 graduate of Chinook High School who served with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Division when he was killed in combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

When Jeremy was killed in 2006, the Havre Daily News shared this Associated Press story reporting on his last trip to Montana.

At a barbecue get-together in August, several people came up and shook Jeremy's hand, telling him over and over how proud of him they were, Monte Monroe said. “He said, Dad, that there means more to me than anything,'” Monte said. “I don't know if people out there know how much it means to go up to them (the soldiers) and show your appreciation. I'm proud of all of them.”

According to the Phillips County News, the Malta City Council approved the hanging of the "Hometown Heroes" banners back in April of 2022.

“When we lived back east, many towns had Hometown Hero signs all over. It looked really neat," said Delsi. “We thought it would be a cool idea for Malta to do it.”

 

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